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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.97

  • Numbered Discourses 4.97Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.97
  • 10. Titans10. Asuravagga

Quick-wittedKhippanisantisutta

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four?Katame cattāro?

  1. One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others;attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
  2. one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves;parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya,
  3. one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; andnevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
  4. one who practices to benefit both themselves and others.attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.

And how does an individual practice to benefit themselves, but not others?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? It’s when an individual is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; But they’re not a good speaker and do not enunciate well. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit themselves, but not others.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit others, but not themselves?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. …Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; But they’re a good speaker. …kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit others, but not themselves.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit neither themselves nor others?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. …Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; Nor are they a good speaker. …no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit both themselves and others?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca? It’s when an individual is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. …Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; And they’re a good speaker. …kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit both themselves and others.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 4.99 Training Rules 0.67near 4.1And how does an individual practice to benefit both themselves and others? It’s when an individual doesn’t kill, etc. … and encourages others to do the same. That’s how an individual practices to benefit both themselves…
  2. AN 4.98 To Benefit Oneself 0.65near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.98 10. Titans To Benefit Oneself “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others; one who practices to benefit others,…
  3. AN 4.95 A Firebrand 0.62near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.95 10. Titans A Firebrand “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; one who practices to benefit others, but…
  4. AN 4.96 Removing Greed 0.57near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.96 10. Titans Removing Greed “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others; one who practices to benefit others, but…
  5. AN 8.62 Good Enough 0.54near 0.1A mendicant with four qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. What four? A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examin…